Well, 2009 is finally over, and yet Ted Nugent -- no question, a vital and still evolving artist -- nevertheless walks the streets. Without men with butterfly nets following closely behind him

Ze wango, ze tango indeed.

That being the case (and, sadly, it is) here's something that might lift your spirits, or at the very least make a post New Year's Eve hangover marginally less irksome. (And yes, I posted something suspiciously similar this time last year, but as I observed yesterday, I'm big on tradition).

The amazing Ernie Kovacs made that little music video in 1961 -- in an age when video tape was edited, by hand, with an Exacto knife and Scotch tape. And go figure -- years later, people actually thought that the Spike Jonze video for Sure Shot by The Beastie Boys was a big deal.

You can -- and most definitely should -- order more of Ernie's pioneering video work on DVD here. There's also a very cool CD collection, overseen by musical archaeologist Irwin Chusid, that features many of the original recordings Ernie used as inspiration, including the immortal Love Theme from the Nairobi Trio. You can find a copy here, and trust me -- it's worth the effort and/or the shekels.

Meantime, Happy New Year one and all, and if you get a chance, stop by next week when, among other splendid things, Cinema Listomania will make its first appearance of the new and as yet unnamed decade.

Oh, and I should mention -- lemon flavored Alka-Seltzer makes a very soothing drink over ice. You're welcome.